
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The Navy's new aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), achieved initial operational capability (IOC) in December without a public announcement issued, the Navy’s program manager for the class said. “IOC was just recently declared and set in December of 2021, with the turnover of the last [Advanced Weapons Elevator]," Capt. Brian Metcalf, program manager of Ford-class carriers (PMS 378) said here Tuesday during the Navy League’s annual Sea Air Space expo. IOC is generally declared…